


The Christmas Present

by franscats



Category: X-Men (Comicverse)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-28 10:12:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6324985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/franscats/pseuds/franscats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remy is alone and unhappy at Christmas until a special visitor comes and helps him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Christmas Present

**Author's Note:**

> This is rated R - mostly for violence however, there is implied non consensual sex and of course - since Remy and Logan are in it - there is romance.
> 
> This piece was written in response to Dee's 2011 Christmas challenge at the Wolverine & Gambit Yahoo site. The challenge was to include: a crossover, a Christmas carol, Remy, Logan et. al.
> 
> Disclaimer: Non of the characters in this story are owned by me and I don't own the Christmas Carol either - though it is my favorite. I'm not making any money......I' m just borrowing characters for a little while.

For some reason that no one at the mansion understood, Professor Charles Xavier insisted on starting the Christmas decorating on December 4th. He had said something about it being a tradition in his family but never elaborated. He was the only one who knew that it was the anniversary of the date of the first time he had been really kissed and it was under mistletoe being hung for Christmas. The pretty girl involved had stood under the mistletoe and looked up calling him over. Her name was Diana; he had been fourteen and she an older woman of sixteen and it was an experience that forever after brought a smile to the Professor's lips. So, on December 4th, the mutants pulled all the boxes down from the attic and began decorating for the holiday.

Decorating at Xavier's School for the Gifted was a unique experience. Ladders weren't needed to place ornaments and stars on the tops of the very high trees, they could be levitated, light sets worked when put up without having to change bulbs as broken sockets could be bypassed with little more than a flick of a kinetically charged hand, boxes could be teleported into rooms without the labor of carrying them, and as there were so many to do the work, no one became disengaged with the process. By the 7th the house was ready and festivities, great and small, began.

There were shopping expeditions, a spectacular pre-Christmas brunch and holiday parties, but all the festivities were to end by December 23rd when the mutants known to the world at large as the x-men would exchange gifts before heading off for the holidays. From the 24th on the staff and students would be gone for vacation until after the first of the year. Many people were going home to family, and for the students who didn't have family they could go home to, the Professor had made arrangements for them to celebrate the holidays in style. There would be a skeletal crew at the mansion during the day for cleaning but for all intents the house would be empty. Or almost  
empty! Though he told no one, Remy had no where to go. He couldn't go to New Orleans, he was banished and he didn't have the kind of close friends who would invite him to their families' homes for the Yule, and he was too proud to admit he would be alone. His best friends or what he called his best friends were the mutants here, but aside from Stormy and Wolverine, even they were more friendly acquaintances than friends and Stormy and Wolverine were gone. Storm had flown off to Africa the  
day before. She had tried to talk Remy into going with her but he had declined and Wolverine had been up north for weeks already researching his past. No one was entirely sure when he would get back.

Remy smiled at others when they talked of their plans and spoke about the friends he planned on meeting in New York City over the holidays but as the mansion emptied he really had no plans. On the 24th, after the morning's mad exodus he wandered the quiet house and found Bobby in the living room getting ready to leave, packs and bags all around him.

"Didn' know you were still here," he stated as he watched Bobby gathering a few brightly wrapped packages he was taking home.

"Just getting ready to go, Gambit. What are you doing this holiday?"

"Meetin up wit friends," Remy answered vaguely as he lifted and examined a small nutcracker on a table not watching Bobby. The Iceman nodded turning and looking around as Hank entered the room.

"You ready, Hank?" he asked and Remy turned to look at the blue mutant before putting the nutcracker back on the table.

"Yes, Robert, are you sure your family doesn't mind my intrusion?"

"Of course not," Bobby shook his head as he lifted his suitcase with a grimace. "My parents are looking forward to seeing you. They said no one should be alone at Christmas." Remy made no comment but looked at the table as Bobby turned to him.

"Well Gambit, have a good holiday," he put out his hand and Remy smiled shaking Bobby's hand as Hank patted the Cajun's shoulder. "See you next year."

"Oui and Merry Christmas," the empath gave them a smile as he watched the x-men leave. They were the last two to leave. Scott and Jean had headed out that morning to a second honeymoon, the Professor the day before, heading to the airport at the same time as Stormy, and Rogue his ex-girlfriend, had left for Mississippi just a few hours before.

Remy walked to the front window, his red eyes sparkling in the late afternoon light as he watched Bobby and Hank climb into the large SUV and drive away before turning back to wander the house. He had been alone on Christmas before, or so he told himself as the loneliness he felt weighed down on him, and there had been a few Christmases when he would have preferred being alone to the company he kept (Sinister came to mind) but somehow this one felt worse. Maybe, it had to do with the fact that these people were the closest he had come to friends in years and they had all left him, abandoning him once again. No one had asked him if he wanted to head off with them to a family gathering except Stormy, but she was going to meet a long time love in Africa and Remy didn't want to get in the way of that romance.

As Remy stared out the window at the cold winter landscape, he tried to consider who he would have here with him if he could choose a fantasy companion. Stormy would be a lot of fun and he loved her dearly but if Remy could have just one companion he would want Wolverine. Though Remy would never tell a soul, he had fantasies about Logan. He only considered these fantasies when alone in bed but he dreamed of Logan taking him in those powerful arms and kissing him and then making love to him. It was the fantasies that finally made him decide not to pursue Rogue again. There didn't seem to be a point chasing after her when he really wanted Logan in his bed.

Sighing, he turned and continued his wandering, heading into the study where his hand trailed across the key cover of the piano in the corner. None of the x-men knew, but Remy was actually a decent player. When Jean Luc had taken him in, he had been dismayed at the young man's lack of education though he understood why and had immediately set upon teaching him to read and write. He then discovered that his adopted son had a talent for music. Knowing that learning to play would only make the future master thief's fingers more nimble, he had insisted Remy learn and the Cajun had proved a fast learner. As a result of the musical training another tradition had been added to the LeBeau household. The family would come down in the early hours of Christmas morning, have a big breakfast, open gifts and then sing as Remy accompanied them playing favorite carols. The last time Remy had sat down at a piano and played was the Christmas before he was banished from New Orleans.

Trying not to think about New Orleans, Remy passed the piano and walked over to the wet bar taking a seat on one of the bar stools and running a hand over the smooth wood ,his sensitive fingers enjoying the texture. Looking up and down at the empty bar he sighed and turned to an imaginary companion. "Want a drink?" he asked and reaching behind the small bar grabbed a glass and bottle of bourbon pouring himself a double shot as he looked around the now empty room. Downing it in one smooth motion, Remy held the shot glass up and considered it, watching it sparkle, the late afternoon sun catching the glass as he turned it in all different directions. Glass was an amazing thing he decided; it was sharp and clean and could cut through things so easily; things like flesh. With a sigh Remy put the glass down and pushed it away, hoping to push away the despairing thoughts with it and buried his face in his arms, feeling miserable. He was still sitting there not moving an hour later, not having the energy or desire to get up when there was a knock at the door.

The Cajun looked up and frowned. No one should be knocking at the door. Short of someone like himself, a master thief, the security system should have stopped any would be visitor at the gate and announced their presence before they could get on the grounds and a master thief certainly wouldn't knock after bypassing the security system. Standing, Remy walked to the door a hand in his pocket fingering a card as he opened the door and stared at an old man.

The man was short, Remy stood more than a foot taller than the man; he had white hair and bushy white eyebrows that looked up at Remy with a twinkle of amusement as he stood silhouetted in the fast approaching darkness. His nose was large and sat in the middle of a well rounded face that seemed to be kind and Remy's empathy told him there was no malice in this man as he stared down at the almost comical figure in the doorway. Looking over him, Remy wondered at the clothes the man was wearing. They seemed thirty or forty years out of date, almost as if they came out of some black and white movie.

"You don't have to charge that card, Remy," he said looking up at the Cajun and smiling. "I'm here to help you."

"How did you get here?" Remy asked not understanding this man's presence and how he had gotten through the security system, though looking at this somewhat muddled person, Remy realized he might have to spend Christmas rewiring the security. It was probably in need of repair if this man could get in.

"I flew down of course," the man said and then standing as tall as he could on two rather short legs gave a smile. "And I'm here to help you." Hearing the words "flew down," Remy wondered if this was a mutant come to see the Professor. Remy would never drop his shields all the way but his empathy seemed to pick up a sense of concern from this man as he closed the door against the cold seeping in from outside.

"Help me?" Remy repeated with a complete lack of understanding as he moved to allow the seemingly harmless man further entrance into the warm room.

"Yes, I've been sent to help you. I'm Clarence Oddbody; I'm your guardian angel." Remy brushed one hand through his long hair as he looked at the man, his other hand still fingering a card. "I'm here to help you," he repeated looking the young man up and down, "so you can let go of the card, Remy." The man ran a hand under his chin rubbing the white stubble as he stared at the Cajun.

"How do you know…" Remy had been about to say that he was holding a card but instead finished… "my name?"

"I know all about you, I've been watching you all your life. I told you, I'm your guardian angel."

"If you are dis Cajun's guardian, den you haven't been doin such a good job, Cher." Remy stated softly deciding Clarence was a bit of a nut. It wasn't unheard of, being a mutant caused a lot of people to go off the deep end as it were. The pressures that came from being a mutant made life in a hard world even harder and Clarence wouldn't be the first to be a bit nutty as a result. Still the man seemed harmless enough and so Remy lead Clarence into the study. "Want a drink?" he asked reaching for the bourbon and pouring himself another shot before again looking over the older man.

Clarence looked at the bar with a small happy laugh. "It's been so long, let me think. I would like a glass of mulled wine," he said sitting down and resting a book he had been carrying on the bar.

Glancing at it Remy was surprised to read the title, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, before reaching behind the bar to pull out a bottle of Merlot.  "Der is wine but it's non mulled," he reached for a glass, but Clarence shook his head.

"That's alright, I'll just skip it. I shouldn't be having it anyway." He glanced over the Cajun. "I'm here because you were thinking about breaking that glass and using it." The Cajun blinked wondering how Clarence could know that and wondering if he was some type of telepath as he downed his shot before looking into the empty glass.

"And if I were to who would care?" Remy asked quietly, not sure how Clarence could know his mental state and at the moment not really caring.

"A lot of people, Remy, your life is very valuable," he answered and Remy snorted looking away.

"I have no life," Remy finally whispered wondering why he was talking to the man at all. "Everyone would be better off if dis Cajun were gone. Non, dey would be better off if I'd never been born," he finished bitterly and Clarence looked up at him quizzically for a few moments considering the statement.

"That might be a way to show you," he mused, "I did it once before about 60 years ago, for a man named George Bailey in Bedford Falls. I suppose I could do it again," he whispered thoughtfully. He looked up at the ceiling and raised his eyebrows and then back at Remy. "Okay, we'll grant your wish," he paused as a cold wind swept through the room making the Cajun shiver. "You were never born," he continued as he pulled Remy away from the bar. "You better put your glasses on, you won't want anyone to see your eyes."

"Why not? Everyone here knows Remy's a mutant?" He stopped as he realized the room looked different, shabbier, dirty even, the Christmas tree that had decorated the corner gone, replaced by lewd pictures, the furniture worn and cheap. And he could hear raucous laughter, loud talking and music from the next room which meant intruders had entered while he was distracted by the nutty old man. Not sure exactly what was going on, but sure he had to try and put an end to it, Remy pushed past Clarence and moved to the living room staring at the scene before him with wide eyes.

Remy had grown up on the streets of New Orleans and though he had done a lot of things he was not proud of just to survive, he had never been forced into working in a whore house. Still he could recognize one when he saw it and he was suddenly confronted by one, in the Professor's living room. Sitting around the room on tacky velvet couches were a bunch of men, some fondling scantily clad women, including Jean who was dressed in garish clothes suited more to a slut. "What's goin on in here?" he shouted and looked at Jean with disapproval, his red eyes flashing. "Aren't you wit Scott in Hawaii?" he asked as the faces turned to stare at him. Looking around Remy could tell these were lecherous old men and one of them was running his hands over Jean who sat with a genoshan collar on, squirming and trying to pull away from the man intimately exploring her body, her eyes betraying her distaste. "What…" Remy never finished as one of the men shouted.

"A mutie without a collar, grab him" and dove for Remy.

In shock or not, Remy was a well trained fighter and jumped back out of reach as the men rose, one with a gun. "Don't shoot him," another shouted. "I've got a collar, he could make an excellent addition to the stable," he nodded to someone and Remy realized that someone must be behind him. Spinning he jumped, a foot flying up and dropping the bouncer sneaking up behind him as Clarence came forward.

"Run Remy," he shouted and opened the front door as several men ran for the Cajun. Not knowing what was going on, but not liking the odds in this battle, Remy flew through the door a card flying behind him to cause a small explosion as he slipped silently around the side of the house and up the trellis to his room to get his bo staff and more cards. He stopped, looking around puzzled, this wasn't his room. His things weren't here.

"You won't find your things," Clarence said leaning on the closed bedroom door though how he got there Remy couldn't guess. "You have no bo staff, you never received one. You were never born." He glanced back at the door.

"Non, you are doin someting to dis Cajun's mind," he shook his head and grabbed Clarence shaking him. "What did you do to me?"

"I told you, I granted your wish. You weren't born. You weren't here to save the Professor from Sinister's henchmen, he died and so he couldn't stop the rise of anti mutant feelings. Laws were passed, mutants are considered sub humans and enslaved. Anyone who collars a mutant can register and keep him or her as a slave. Jean was collared and forced to work in a brothel." He looked around shaking his head in disapproval before gazing again at Remy

"When my friend George was granted a chance to see what the world would be like without him, I told him `Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole.' This is your hole Remy. You've led a better life than you can ever imagine."

"Non de Professor, I saved him," Remy answered, his voice distracted as he searched the closet for his secret stash, but the cards weren't there.

"Not if you weren't there." Clarence watched as Remy nervously ran his hand through his hair again, looking around and trying to decide on a course of action as he heard shouting coming closer. Obviously, his pursuers were searching the house and grounds. He knew time was limited. Realizing he would have to be sparing with his cards, he turned and climbed back out the window, watching the grounds for pursuit as he jumped down and slid along the wall.

Dropping one man with a quick kick before he even knew the Cajun was near, Remy dashed into the woods, hearing shouting and dogs barking behind him as he tried to think of what to do. It was an unknown situation and he really had no clue what action he needed to take as he raced past the lake and deeper into the woods, stopping to catch his breath, his body leaning against a tree in exhaustion as Clarence appeared beside him.

"Dis is crazy," he said looking around. "What did you do?"

"I granted your wish. You've been given a wonderful opportunity, Remy. A chance to see what life would be like without you." Remy glanced around and began to double back towards the house, deciding he needed to get Jean and transport, preferably his motorcycle. "It won't be there," Clarence said softly walking beside him.

"What?" Remy turned.

"Your motorcycle," Remy shook his head and continued towards the house moving quickly but silently through the trees, listening carefully for the sounds of pursuit as he put distance between himself and Clarence. As he neared the house, Remy paused watching the men as they searched the grounds and then silently eased towards the garage slipping in only to find Clarence was right, there was no motorcycle. But there were some cars and Remy looked over them, choosing one and unlocking the doors for a fast getaway before slipping silently into the house to get Jean.

Inside Remy moved toward the living room, a card at the ready as he hugged the wall, overhearing a conversation. "He knew the girl," the man said and Remy could hear Jean moan. "Who is he?"

"I don't know; I never saw him before." Remy frowned as he heard a slap and a gasp, his red eyes shining bright with anger as he fingered a card.

"He knew your name, don't lie to me. You muties have been trying to hide each other since the ownership act passed."

"I don't know," Jean whispered and the man snarled pushing her back onto the couch.

"Well, I am going to find him and collar him. I could use a boy whore." He turned and left the room stopping just on the opposite side of the wall from where Remy stood silently listening. "Take her down to the cells. Tell Tiny he can play with her but she better not end up damaged again." Remy heard her cry out as she was being dragged from the room and he spun forward in desperation, not caring how many he had to fight in trying stop the two men and grab Jean. Knocking down the brothel owner with a well placed punch Remy turned reaching for Jean, his eyes on the man holding the telepath before him as a shield. Stepping closer, Remy was ready for a battle but before he could act he was hit from behind by another assailant and dropped to his knees as Jean pulled free and ran from the room. Shaking his head clear, Remy rolled out of reach, a card glowing in his hand as two men cornered him, one holding a genoshan collar. Throwing the charged card at his would be attackers he stood on wobbly legs and stared around him as Clarence came running up and jumped on the back of a man about to tackle Remy from behind.

"Get out of here, Remy, you are far too outnumbered," Clarence shouted and Remy turned, not finding Jean anywhere around. Taking off, he knocked the brothel owner down again and sailed out the door and into the garage. A minute later he was in the car and speeding down the driveway, stopping just long enough to toss a charge at the garage door before driving away, Clarence appearing beside him.

"Clarence, Jean is still in der, can't leave her, I have to sneak back in," he warned. I'll leave de car outside de gate wit you and go back,” he stated softly as he watched the mansion light up as men  
raced for the garage to follow Remy only to find their cars blocked by the ruined garage. Remy hoped this would stop the pursuit.

"She slipped out a window. I don't know if she will get clear but she's not there now." He glanced at Remy as he drove through the open gate. "Isn't it remarkable how many lives you've touched and changed Remy?"

Remy answered the question with one of his own. "Where's Stormy?"

“She died in the first protests against the ownership act."

"And de other x-men?"

"Scott and Anna Marie died with Ororo. Warren is being kept hidden by his father and Bobby has been enslaved." Remy considered this thoughtfully as he realized he believed Clarence. This world was too horrifying not to be real.

"Where's Wolverine?" he asked trying to keep his heart from lurching as he asked. He tried to be casual and not emphasize the name despite the fact that he cared for Wolverine as much as he cared for Stormy. Clarence didn't answer immediately but looked away and Remy glanced at him. "Clarence where is he?"

"He's kept near here, Remy, in a kind of a zoo."

"A zoo," Remy whispered in horror.

"Yes, because of his healing abilities, they torture him until he goes feral from the pain and then they hunt him for sport."

"Mon Dieu," Remy whispered looking at Clarence. `Where is he?"

"You can't help him," Clarence answered and the Cajun glared at him. After a minute Clarence sighed. "Ten miles north of here in a sealed off compound." Remy didn't answer but spun the car to face north and hit the gas, racing up the road in the dark.

It was only a few minutes later that Clarence pointed out a turn off the main road. "It's that way Remy but…" he paused and sighed. "You are not going to like it." He inched back in the seat, clutching his book as Remy turned down the road and turning off the headlights coasted to a stop some distance from what looked like a military compound surrounded by densely packed trees.

Remy knew Westchester; he'd been around Xavier's long enough to scout out the whole area and was trained to do just that before settling in comfortably. He knew the area well and there was never a compound here before. Leaning closer to the windshield, a trained eye looking over the scene, he muttered, "Aside from de barbed wire, de gates are electrified and reinforced wit steel." He shook his head and looked over at Clarence. "Where's Wolverine?"

Clarence looked away as he answered. "There's a cage at the back. They keep him there when they are not hunting but they are on a night hunt and Logan is in a lot of pain and feral. He's been shot twice and…" he never finished as Remy jumped out of the car, scooping up rocks and pocketing them as he neared the fence. He was going to free Logan or die trying.

Looking over the entry box, he snorted and reached in a pocket to pull out a small pick and very quickly opened the security box, bypassing alarms and codes to enter the compound. His senses were on complete alert as he glanced around thoughtfully, listening for any sounds that might indicate a hunting party. After a moment, he heard them in the distance, trampling like a bunch of elephants and silently he took off hoping to get ahead of them and reach Wolverine first.

He was about three hundred yards ahead of the party, crouching behind some tightly packed bushes, the quarter moon making him almost invisible to normal sight when he heard a growl and turned, and found himself staring into the yellow eyes of his companion. "Logan," he whispered softly eyeing the extended claws warily, "Remy's here to help you, Cher." He swallowed as he looked at the open sores and blood oozing from wounds as yellow eyes gazed at him with no hint of  
recognition.

Logan growled again, his eyes narrowing at the possible threat in front of him as he assessed the Cajun and Remy knew a misplaced step here could kill him. But before Remy could say or do anything to reach the feral Canadian, there was a shout from further back and he spun putting himself between Wolverine and his attackers, a rock already glowing in his hands as he faced four men all holding assault rifles.

"Get away from him," Remy yelled flinging a rock straight into the group of hunters who backed off and lifted their rifles aiming for the Cajun. The resultant explosion dropped two of the hunters and the others immediately targeted Remy. But before the Cajun could be hit, he was flung to the side by Wolverine who then launched himself straight at the men as the two left standing fired rounds of bullets into Logan's body. Remy hit the ground hard, the wind knocked out of him as he looked up in horror at the scene unfolding before him. Logan's body, already in motion, trying to reach the hunters became riddled with bullets beyond even the point that his mutation could heal.

"Non," Remy cried out, realizing Logan had saved him at the cost of his own life. "Non," tears began to fall down his face as he shook his head watching Wolverine crash to the ground, his body convulsing as blood splattered everywhere. "No more. Clarence please, take me back. Please, I want to go back. Make dis right. I am glad I lived, glad I'm alive. Please Clarence," Remy sobbed as the world began to spin and he lowered his head to the ground amid shouts from the hunters. "S'il vous plait," he repeated miserably.

It was the quiet that first made Remy lift his head again and look around, tears still spilling over his cheeks. He was no longer in the woods, he was in Xavier's mansion, the Christmas tree twinkling in the corner as he lifted his head from the bar. "A dream," he whispered looking around and wiping at his eyes self consciously. "Jus a dream," he told himself but then paused. On the bar sat a copy of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. With a shaking hand, Remy reached for the book and opened it looking at the inscription.

_To Remy,_

_Each life touches so many others. Remember the good you have done and let it inspire you in the future._

_Clarence_

Remy looked at the book and smiled as he placed it carefully down on the bar before looking around with a sigh of relief. Rising on shaky legs, he walked around the mansion. He knew he wouldn't find a brothel any longer but he had to check anyway and he had to look at his room and make sure it was just as he had left it. When he was sure the mansion was still intact and secure, he walked back into the study, his mind on the wondrous gift he had received. He would never have believed he had done so much for mutants. Looking around the study, his eyes first moved over the book, then over the piano, before he took a seat at the bench, opening the cover and letting his fingers trail lightly across the keys. It was Christmas Eve and he had always played piano at home. Settling his fingers on the keys he let his fingers press down and he began to play a Christmas carol. Because he hadn't played for such a long time, he was very surprised that his fingers knew what to do as they ran across the keyboard and Remy decided the words had a great deal more meaning than they had before he met Clarence as he began to sing:

_O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,_  
_It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth._  
_Long lay the world in sin and error pining._  
_Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth._  
_A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,_  
_For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn._  
_Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!_  
_O night divine, the night when Christ was born;_  
_O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!_  
_O night, O Holy Night , O night divine!_

As he finished the first stanza, he heard a noise and spun around to see Logan standing in the doorway, arms crossed, watching him with interest. The older mutant was still wearing his leather jacket, his hair whipped about from the damp wind outside and his clothes wrinkled from hard traveling. Seeing the look of shock on the Cajun's face Logan smiled.

"Didn't know you could play, Rem. Didn't know you could sing either," he added watching the Cajun's cheeks flush red with embarrassment as he realized Logan had been standing there listening to him.

"Didn' know you were der," Remy mumbled softly watching Logan through his bangs. "Didn' expect you back yet."

"Well, truth was I wasn't comin back just yet. Was gonna stay up north till the New Year but yesterday I met this old man out in the wild and he told me you needed me, so I came back." Logan pulled away from the door entering the room and glancing at the tree in the corner before turning his attention back to Remy and deciding he was glad he had come back. For all his bitching about wanting to be alone, Remy didn't do very well on his own and shouldn't spend Christmas by himself.

"Old man?" Remy questioned still grappling with two conflicting emotions that warred inside him. On the one hand he was surprised and pleased by the fact that Wolverine had come back because Remy needed him but he was also annoyed and wondering who would dare say Remy needed anyone, ignoring the fact that his heart jumped and began beating faster the minute he saw Logan in the doorway.

"Yeah, his name was Clarence," Logan watched Remy's eyes grow wide with shock before his face softened into a rarely seen smile of pleasure. Embarrassed at the scrutiny, Remy turned back planning on covering the piano but Logan came over and stopped him, a hand lingering on his shoulder for just a moment longer than necessary. "It's Christmas Eve, Rem, play some carols."

Remy looked up at the request and smiled. "If you want Cher." He reached down and played some more carols, picking upbeat ones, singing as he played and being joined in by Logan who went to the bar and poured a beer before turning to watch the younger mutant play. After a while, Remy tired of playing and singing and gently closed the piano before walking over to the bar and taking a seat near Logan. "Haven't played since New Orleans," he stated accepting a drink from Logan.

"You should, yer good Bet the others would make you play if they knew you could." Logan looked over the Cajun. "How come yer the only one here, Rem?" he asked and watched as Remy looked away shrugging his shoulders.

"De others, dey went to family. Couldn't go home so I stayed here." Logan nodded his understanding and sighed, downing his beer. He didn't think it was right that the others had left the Cajun behind but Logan was sure Remy never admitted to any of them that he had no where to go. Still, someone should have checked on the boy; at the very least they should have asked him to go with them.

After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence Remy glanced again at Logan "What did Clarence say?" he finally asked nervous over what Clarence might have told the Canadian.

"Said you were alone in a big old mansion and would be for Christmas and you needed a friend." Logan answered. "So I hauled my ass here."

"Tanks, Logan," Remy looked down into his glass embarrassed but glad for Logan's presence. He wished he could tell Logan how much he liked Logan and just how glad he was that Logan was here but he kept his mouth shut afraid he might jeopardize his friendship with the volatile Canadian if he told him the truth.

"So who is this Clarence?" Logan asked.

"Told me he was my guardian angel," Remy answered. "Tink he might have been," he admitted feeling his cheeks heat again. It seemed as if he had been doing nothing but blushing since Logan returned. Remy knew having Logan so close always made him flustered and downed his drink trying to control his own emotions and feelings.

Logan glanced over at the younger man in surprise but realized Remy was being serious and Logan knew there had been something strange about the man. Shaking his head in wonderment, Logan looked around the room, his eyes falling on the mistletoe in the doorway. Standing and walking to the doorway, he considered the small plant thoughtfully as he leaned against the door frame. He knew the Cajun was interested in him, he could smell it. The boy gave off pheromones whenever they worked close and Remy, without a doubt, was bi-sexual. Logan had never seriously considered the boy as a sexual partner, Remy was always chasing after Rogue but they had broken up months ago and Remy hadn't found anyone else. He hadn't even looked for someone else and something Clarence had said stuck with Logan. When Clarence had appeared in the wild, he said Remy needed to be with someone he cared about and the list of people Remy truly cared about was short but Logan was on it.

Standing in the doorway, Logan glanced at the Cajun. He looked so alone and young sitting there. Logan had a lot of time on the long ride back to the mansion to consider Remy. The fact that he spent the last 15 hours driving to reach the kid said something all by itself about his feelings. He liked Remy, always had, and he was attracted to the young man. Deciding it was time to advance their relationship Logan called him. "Remy come here," he said softly and Remy turned.

"Cher?" he asked and Logan signaled him to come close. Shrugging the Cajun rose and walked across the room, wondering what Logan wanted. As Remy reached him, oblivious to what Logan planned, the Canadian pointed up at the small plant over their heads and then pulling him close covered Remy's lips with his own. He kept his hands loose, if Remy wanted he could pull away but instead, Remy tightened his hold, grabbing hold of Logan as if for dear life, returning the kiss with passion as he deepened it.

Logan let his hands slide up and down Remy's back enjoying the feel. He hadn't realized just how nice the boy would feel in his arms. Leaning back, he looked into Remy's wide eyes and smiled as he picked up the strong arousal scent.

"You want this?" he asked softly and Remy nodded, unwilling to let Logan go. This was his fantasy and he wasn't going to give it up without a fight.

Releasing the Cajun, Logan pulled away, ignoring the disappointed expression and the slight whimper Remy gave at the loss of contact and walking over to the couch, took the pillows throwing them onto the rug near the fireplace before setting some wood in the hearth.

Remy watched him in awe. He would never have guessed Logan would welcome a relationship with a man. But Logan had initiated the kiss. He continued to watch Logan as the Canadian placed the wood in the fireplace unsure what to do or how to act, his body practically shaking with desire. But then Logan turned to him, "Come on Rem. Charge a card and throw it on the wood. Start up a good fire." Remy immediately jumped into action throwing a card and starting a bright blaze. Logan nodded satisfied and then sitting on the rug reached a hand up to the Cajun in invitation. Remy took it and was pulled down onto the floor and into Logan's arms.

Remy would never have believed Logan could be so gentle and so giving in love making. Remy's experiences with other men were nothing like his experience with Logan. His experiences had always been with people who used him, admittedly he used them too, to get immediate satisfaction but there was no relationship involved and the sex had meant nothing beyond physical gratification. This was very different. This was about caring and about shared desires and shared passion; the kind of relationship Remy had always craved but never seemed to find.

Logan took it slowly, exploring Remy's body and enjoying the small cries he forced from the younger mutant as he studied and played with his new lover's body, building the Cajun's excitement and need until Remy was almost crazed and pleading for release. When Remy finally climaxed, Logan inside of him, he was completely cocooned in Logan's emotional state and collapsed exhausted. Carefully freeing himself from his trembling lover, Logan stood, chuckling at Remy's soft whimper of protest at the loss of his warm living blanket and walked over to the couch retrieving a throw. Coming back and laying down on the rug, Logan pulled Remy into his arms and threw the blanket over the Cajun's back before settling in for the night, Remy curling into him with a sigh of contentment.

Christmas morning Remy didn't want to open his eyes. He was warm and comfortable and being held and he tried to snuggle into his lover and go back to sleep but a soft voice called his name. Looking into Logan's face, Remy smiled before resting his head back on the strong man and enjoying the feel of Logan's hands playing with his hair.

"Rem," Logan repeated. "Look over there." Remy turned in the indicated direction and looked at the Christmas tree. Beneath it was a large box. "It wasn't there when we went to sleep and sleeping or not I would have heard if anyone came in here." Remy frowned. "With my hearing, I'd catch a master thief sneaking into the room," he added and Remy nodded his agreement considering the box.

Sitting up and covering himself with the blanket to keep the cold off his naked body, Remy walked over to the tree and looked at the large brightly wrapped box. A tag on it read to Remy and Logan and the Cajun picked it up, carrying it over near the fireplace where Logan was starting another fire.

"Don' know where it came from," he answered. "Mais we should open it and see what it is." Logan smiled nodding, obviously Remy liked getting gifts; the kid couldn't hide the excitement.

"Go ahead," he sat back as a fire started up.

"It's addressed to you too," Remy answered but Logan was a bit more jaded than the younger man and didn't find opening presents quite as exciting.

"I'm here, so go ahead," he gestured and Remy opened the package. Inside was a picnic basket and when Remy opened that, he discovered a Christmas breakfast. There was champagne and two long stem glasses, croissants and cheeses and meats and even caviar. He looked up at Logan in surprise as he pulled plates from the basket and began putting the food on plates settling the meal between them on the rug. And then at the bottom of the basket, beneath the plates, he found a small note that read:

_Merry Christmas Remy and Logan,_  
_Clarence._

Remy smiled at the note and handed it to Logan who read it and then leaned over to kiss the Cajun before getting up to retrieve a bucket and some ice from the bar. Popping the cork on the bottle the two ate and drank a holiday breakfast and then made love on the rug.

Afterwards, they spent the day in each other's company and mostly in each other's arms, before getting to work and cooking a large, traditional Christmas dinner. After the dinner, the two watched TV and talked of Christmas traditions old and new before Logan finally stretched and decided to head up to bed. Remy followed him up the stairs not sure if Logan would want to sleep in the same bed with him. But when the Canadian opened the door to his bedroom he turned and looked at the Cajun.

"You coming in?" he asked almost impatiently as Remy stood before him.

"You want me to?"

"Hell, I want you 365 days of the year in here, Rem," he watched the Cajun's face light up as he entered the room.

"What will de others say?" Remy asked as he undressed and slid down into the blankets to get warm.

"Don't know," Logan answered. "But at the first meeting Cyke calls, I'm gonna take you in my arms and kiss you in front of everyone. Then I'm gonna release my claws and ask if anyone wants to discuss our relationship," Logan answered sliding into the bed and pulling Remy to him before planting a soft kiss on his lips. With a contented smile Logan gazed at the window where snow was starting to gently fall. "Merry Christmas Cajun," he whispered snuggling in. "You're my Christmas present this year and it was one of the best gifts I've ever gotten."

 

End


End file.
